For many years the automobile industry has been concerned with designing improved vehicle body structures that absorb or deflect impact loads imposed on the vehicle at or near the passenger compartment. While reinforcing the surfaces surrounding the vehicle passenger compartment has long been practiced in the automotive industry, often the structures used to reinforce the frame surrounding the passenger compartment include metal components. These metal reinforcement members tend to add unwanted weight to the automobile. In other instances, the reinforcing members include complex configurations that require welding or mechanical fasteners to affix the reinforcement member to the frame.
Consequently, there is needed a lightweight, easily installed apparatus for reinforcing the automobile frame structure, particularly in the area of the passenger compartment.